A Director of Research and Development is responsible for overseeing their organization's research and development department(s). Responsible for ensuring that the organization meet their objectives for researching and developing new products or technologies and improve existing products.
Director of Shopper Insights Mars - 3.8 Chicago, IL Job Details Full-time $153,600 - $211,200 a year 20 hours ago Benefits Health insurance Dental insurance 401(k) Paid time off Qualifications Product development research management Market research experience within retail industry Stakeholder engagement Quantitative applied research Corporate research Resource allocation (project management tasks) Qualitative data analysis Business strategy analysis Team leadership Nielsen Coaching Competitive analysis Research project design Collaborative research Team development Hiring Task prioritization Intelligence analysis Market research experience within consumer goods industry Cross-functional collaboration Research findings presentation Marketing positioning Data-driven decision making Ethnographic research Cross-functional communication Senior leadership Staff development Stakeholder management
Full Job Description Job Description:
Mars Snackings Human Intelligence function is rebuilding how the company understands and acts on shopper behavior — this Director owns that agenda for Shopper Insights. Youll run the team turning data such as Nielsen/Numerator, retailer, and custom research into insights driven recommendations that shape category strategy, retailer negotiations, and portfolio decisions across a portfolio of 40 brands including iconic brands such as Snickers, MM's, Pringles, Cheez Itz and many more. Youll report to the VP of Human Intelligence and sit at the table for key JBP's, strategic and tactical agendas.
Required Qualifications:
End-to-End CPG/Retail Research Experience:
7 years of end-to-end consumer insights or market research experience within consumer packaged goods (CPG), FMCG, or retail. Proven track record of delivering research-driven recommendations adopted by VP/SVP-level executives to drive product launches, category strategies, or brand positioning.
Methodology Syndicated Data Mastery:
4 years of hands-on experience designing and executing both qualitative (e.g., focus groups, IDIs, ethnographies) and quantitative (e.g., concept testing, conjoint, segmentation) research studies. Demonstrated proficiency in extracting and interpreting data from major retail and shopper panel platforms (e.g., NielsenIQ, Circana/IRI, Numerator).
Executive Presence Stakeholder Influence:
Demonstrated experience presenting strategic findings directly to VP/SVP leadership and cross-functional business partners (e.g., Brand Marketing, Sales, RD). Documented history of influencing strategic decision-making and resource allocation through data synthesis.
People Leadership:
2 years of direct people management experience, with accountability for hiring, coaching, and developing a team.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic influence Shape category and sales strategy for senior leadership using shopper learning — not just present findings but change decisions. Own the shopper-behavior input to annual planning and, when they arise, acquisition diligence — sizing target customer bases and quantifying overlap/risk. Research and analysis Set the teams research agenda across syndicated (Nielsen/Numerator), retailer partner data (Kroger, etc.), and custom qual/quant. Push the teams methods forward — shopper journey mapping, decision hierarchies, and increasingly, AI-assisted synthesis of data at scale (were actively building this into the function). Cross-functional leverage Sit directly in retailer conversations alongside Sales Category teams, providing the insight that influence the decisions. Co-design assortment, shelving, and promotional strategy with Category Management. Feed RDs innovation pipeline with shopper-truth, not just data dumps. Budget and prioritization Own the shopper insights budget and prioritize the portfolio of research against business impact — you decide what doesnt get funded, not just what does. Report impact in terms the business tracks: dollars, share, decisions changed. People Lead, coach, and grow 3 direct reports and a total team of 5 while sitting on the leadership team of a broader Human Intelligence function. Build a bench — this function is scaling, and this role will invest in developing a team of impactful associates and leaders. What can you expect from Mars? Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles. Join a purpose driven company, where we're striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today. A strong focus on learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University. An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus. The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is between the range listed below, however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position will include variable pay, medical and dental benefits, participation in 401k plan, and paid time off benefits. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an applicant receives an offer of employment. The pay range shown is applicable to all US locations listed within the job posting:
